Subway crime in NYC is still on a downward trend in 2025 even after a slight rise in April compared to the same month last year, according to the latest police data.
Over a 28-day period that ran through April 20, transit crime increased 9% compared to the same period in 2024 — 146 crimes this year vs. 134 last year. Focusing on the middle of the month, transit crime jumped nearly 30% during the week of April 14-20 compared to the period in 2024. There were 27 crimes in the city’s public transit system during those seven days last year, compared to 35 throughout the same week in 2025.
Even so, the subways have been trending safer, according to police CompStat data. The NYPD reports that the numbers are still plummeting year-over-year. As of April 20, 2025, transit crime fell by over 10% compared to the same point in 2024.
The data shows that safety is improving even as high-profile subway crimes shook the city this month.
Just two days ago, on April 25, a 38-year-old man was stabbed to death inside Lower Manhattan’s City Hall station following an argument with a stranger on a Downtown 6 train. The suspect in the incident remains at large.
Earlier in the month, on April 9, another incident left New Yorkers disturbed when a man allegedly had sex with a dead straphanger aboard a southbound R train at the Whitehall Street station in Lower Manhattan.
Though these and similar cases have left many NYC straphangers ill at ease, the MTA recently reported another glimmer of good news: Major felonies in the subway system, including murder, rape and robbery, have also dramatically decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
“We are grateful to the NYPD for keeping riders safer,” said Joana Flores, a spokesperson for the MTA. “Crime is down, ridership is up, and so far this year, subway performance has reached its best in more than a decade. We are going to continue working hard to keep those numbers going in the right direction.”
Making subways ‘safer for every straphanger’
The NYPD, the state-run MTA, and Gov. Kathy Hochul have prioritized safety on the trains. More and better-quality surveillance cameras have been installed in every subway car, which has helped police in their investigations.
“By adding uniformed officers to every train, fortifying our transit infrastructure, and expanding mental health outreach, we’ve made real progress in driving down transit crime,” Hochul said in March when discussing her year-long subway-safety plan results. “Working in partnership with law enforcement, district attorneys and mental health experts, we’re working to make the subways safer for every straphanger.”
Police have increased patrols on subways while also zeroing in on quality-of-life issues such as fare evasion, which the MTA said has decreased 26% from June 2024 to December of the same year.
Mendi Baron, a licensed clinical social worker, said a strong police presence on trains “makes a big difference,” as it brings with it a sense of structure and order.
“It’s like how people automatically slow down when they see a police car on the highway or a speed camera at a construction zone — just knowing someone’s watching changes behavior,” said Baron, founder and CEO of Moriah Behavioral Health. “The subway is its own world, underground and a bit removed from everyday life, so it’s even more important to create that feeling of structure down there. A visible presence helps keep things from getting out of hand and makes people feel a lot safer.”
‘Never worried about traveling’
Meanwhile, some New Yorkers said they have no problem riding the trains, while others remain apprehensive with safety concerns.
Vincent Polizzi, an FDNY emergency medical technician who works in Sunset Park, said he mainly drives but would not be afraid to ride the trains if he had to.
“I think being a 6-foot, 1-inch, 200-pound individual who is heavily tattooed, most people when I’m out of uniform are intimidated, so my fear isn’t really there,” he said.
Alison Haber, a native New Yorker from the Upper West Side, said she feels “perfectly safe” in the subway.
“I never worried about traveling in the subway,” she said.
Other straphangers shared similar sentiments.
“I feel safe riding the subways,” said Bill McDermott, also of the Upper West Side. “I will say that I do take more precautions than I used to. Subway use has definitely increased since congestion pricing took effect. Though there is still plenty of work to be done, the amount of subway fare evasions seems to be going down as well.”
A Queens commuter named Francois said he does not get caught up in headlines and relies on trains.
“I ride the train on numerous occasions and have yet to see an incident occur,” he said. “Although I have seen people who seem to have mental illness and need help.”
But Elaine Garvey of the Upper West Side said she has “never” felt safe riding the trains.
“It just takes one nut job,” she said. “I worry daily for my daughter and myself.”
Vittorio Bugatti of the Bronx agreed. “I avoid using it where possible,” he said. “Too many unstable people riding.”
